“What a Zuma botch up”

President Jacob Zuma surprised many South Africans when he announced the launch of a new Ministry of Telecommunications and Postal Services, and changing the department of communications to include more functions.

The “new” department of communications will be formed out of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), the SABC, GCIS, Brand SA and the Media Development and Diversity Agency.

Not everyone is impressed by this move from Zuma. DA MP Marian Shinn said that putting telecoms and postal services into one ministry seems like a backward move into the pre-convergence days of the Department of Posts and Telecommunications of the old South Africa.

“This is absurd and undermines the moves towards convergence introduced via the ECAct. I fail to see the logic of these moves,” said Shinn.

“It seems to have been made with little understanding of the ICT sector, its complexities and potential. Monty Python couldn’t have made a better hash-up of the sector than President Zuma has done here.”

Shinn added that she is still seeking clarity on the role the two ‘communications’ ministries will play in the ICT sector.

“Will this department [Telecommunications and Postal Services] develop its own strategies and policies – or will these be done by the rival department – Communications – which is charged with policy and strategy for communications? What a botch up,” she said.

Ministry of Propaganda warning

Shinn said that she understands the grouping of SABC, GCIS, Brand SA and MDDA as the new department of communications.

“They’re all associated with the ANC government’s desire to have increasing control of media outlets and propaganda – as undesirable as this is,” she said.

“Let us be under no illusions about this ministry’s intentions. If SABC is to be housed here it must be stripped down to being a state – not public – broadcaster and the commercial stations sold off to private enterprise,” said Shinn.

“This should be the Ministry of Propaganda: policy, strategy and the regulatory functions of Icasa have no place here. It should be set free to be seen to be a fully independent Chapter 9 institution,” said Shinn.

“It should be with telecommunications and postal services in pursuit of communications convergence and is support of economic ingenuity and consumer-friendly competitiveness that will see South Africa become an ICT empowered nation of the world.”

Shinn said she fears that Zuma’s announcement is desperately sad news for SA’s ICT sector and the communities it serves.

Change will lead to further delays: Dominic Cull

Ellipsis Regulatory Solutions director Dominic Cull said that two new Ministers, one new deputy and new institutional arrangements will inevitably lead to further delays where they simply cannot be afforded.

“It is not clear at this stage how the two Ministries will interact but the recent drive towards greater regulation of online content appears to be a factor in the decision to create a Telecommunications and Postal Services Ministry,” said Cull.

“All-in-all this does not feel like a positive move for communications in South Africa.”

It’s as if the Government wants telecommunications to be held back: Goldstuck

World Wide Worx MD Arthur Goldstuck said that the justification given for the separation of ministries is the growing importance of ICT, but that doesn’t explain Icasa being placed in the communications ministry, as opposed to the telecommunications ministry.

“We can expect tremendous confusion, duplication of roles or responsibility, and therefore the potential of decisions falling into the cracks in between the two,” said Goldstuck.

“More important, though, is this question: If telecommunications is so important, why dump a Minister who was widely viewed as the most effective in many years, and bring in a replacement who already has question marks over his head about lack of performance in his previous Ministry?” asked Goldstuck.

“It’s almost as if the Government wants telecommunications to be held back in South Africa.”

More about Zuma’s new government

Siyabonga Cwele the new minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services

New telecommunications and postal services ministry